Sterling basketball secures state spot

Rebounds and defense ensure shot at title

Connor Carey drives inside. The senior put up key points early to give Sterling it's lead at the half in the win over Platte Valley Tuesday in the Wally Post Gym.
(Jonathan Seib/Journal-Advocate)

STERLING -- The Sterling Tigers are headed to state once again. The Tigers won their first ever Patriot League Tournament game on Tuesday in the Wally Post Gym 54-32 over the Platte Valley Broncos.

The Tigers play at least two more games in the tournament but the win means they will end up in the 3A state bracket no matter the outcome of the final two.

The game looked tight throughout the first quarter and a half. There were four lead changes and one tie through that stretch, with Collin Sanger tying things up at 15 with a pair of free throws.

With the score tied, the Tigers scored 12 straight to finish off the half with Connor Carey hitting a 3 right after Sanger's free throws and Jay Kiel following with a 3 of his own. Carey hit two from the charity stripe after that and Sanger capped off the run on an offensive rebound after a Kiel steal.

The run gave Sterling a 10-point lead headed into the half and the Tigers would not look back. Carey made sure the Tigers held the lead early with 12 points in the first half.

Sterling outscored Platte Valley by seven in the third and five in the fourth, winning by 22.

Rebounds and defense were keys for Sterling once again with the Tigers never giving up a double-digit quarter total to the Broncos.

"Defense has been our identity all year. It was good enough to get the win, even with a couple of communication breakdowns on offense," said Sterling head coach Mike Holloway.

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"Defense and rebounding are going to be what leads us as far as we are going to go."

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